Study shows mobile commerce is on pace to see more growth in the future

New study shows the growing prominence of mobile shopping among consumers

Criteo, a performance marketing technology provider, has released a new study concerning online transactions and their performance during the fourth quarter of 2015. Last year, mobile commerce became a very powerful force in the retail space. Merchants began investing heavily in new technology that would allow them to connect with mobile shoppers. Consumers have shown a great deal of interest in using their devices to shop online and in physical stores.

1.4 billion online transactions were made during the fourth quarter of 2015

According to the study from Criteo, 1.4 billion online transactions were made during the fourth quarter of 2015. Mobile transactions grew by 15% over that quarter from what they had been during the fourth quarter of 2014. Mobile payments accounted for approximately 30% of all online transactions made during the last quarter, highlighting the growing prominence of mobile shopping and the popularity of new payment services being introduced. Notably, consumers in the United States preferred their smartphones when shopping online, with smartphones accounting for 60% of all mobile transactions.

Smartphones remain a popular shopping platform among consumers

While consumers preferred to use their smartphones to make purchases, tablets were responsible for higher value sales. Many consumers enjoyed using their tablets because of their larger screens, which offered them a more enjoyable and convenient shopping experience. Overall, iOS devices accounted for higher order values than average, partly due to Apple’s new payments service, called Apple Pay.

Mobile commerce is on the path to success as more consumers shop online

While smartphones are popular shopping platforms, consumers prefer to use multiple devices when doing their shopping. Nearly 40% of all online transactions during the fourth quarter of 2015 occurred across multiple devices. Approximately 37% of consumers were desktop users, using their computers to browse for products on retail websites. They also used other devices to research products before making a purchase online. Criteo expects mobile commerce to become a more powerful force in the retail space, especially as consumers become more comfortable with shopping online with their mobile devices.